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44N. E. CLARK. EXPNDED METAL MANUFACTUFIE.

15 l l zo l Patented Nov. 411, 1919. I

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N. E. CLARK. EXP/'moan METALMANUFACTURE.

APPLIcATloN FILED pic. 1. 191s.

' PatentedlNov. 11,1919.

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4 TED Samaras rairnnr onirica NORRIS ELT/[ORE CLARK, 0F PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT S. ALLYN, TRUSTEE, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPANDED-METAL MANUEACTURE.'

Specication'of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application mea December 7, 191s. serial No. 135,518.

tudinal'ly, for instance,'by rotary cutters and 'expanded in the same machine by a separate step in such a way that the distinctive lines of bonds will extend diagonally of the sheet in zig-zag arrangement so that the sheet has lateral 'as well as longitudinal stiffness. The finished product will be found made up of sections, the strands of adjacent sections be- ,ing inclined in opposite directions in what `has becomeknown as a reverse-lay. The

methods and mechanisms herein described are such as are known as of the reverse-layl section type, inasmuch as they produce 1n the material acted upon a plurality'of expanded metal sections, 'wherein the angularity of strands of one-half of each section is reversely laid with respect to the strands of the adjacent half section or the strands of adjacent sections are in reverse lay. The lengthwise opening of the meshes of one-half section is preferably atan angle to the lengthwise opening/of the meshes of the adjacent half sectio I This combination of reverse-lay angularity of strands and oppositely disposed mesh openings produces greater uniform stiffness throughout theentire finished sheet and likewise renders the product more universal in its application in that it may be erected and plastered,` up on eitherside or with any edge uppermost.

To manufacture a product'of the qualities above described. I have found it practicable and economical to cut the metal blank into slitted sectionsflongitudinally corrugate the slitted'blank to o'penlthe meshwork 'and then .Spread the sheetor flatten the corrugations. In general such a method produces a reverse-lay as for instance, in my Patents #930,350; #979,130; #1,052,-

888; #1,104,475; #1,104,476; #1,104,477; #1,128,659; #1,134,513; #1,146,552 and #1,146,553. I

However, in my present invention instead of slitting the metal blankat an angle to the outer edges thereof, which is somewhat difli-v cult with rotarymechanisms, I have devised means for making a product in' which the cuts are all parallel to the outer edges especially suitable for rotary'cutting and so arranged with respect to each other that many of the desired qualities in the finished product as previously outlined are still retained.

Inthe specific form illustrated and de- V scribed herein, the stock is first slitted longitudin'ally by meansof rotary cutters which are arranged so that the bonds betweenthe cuts lie along lines inclined in the direction of feed and so that the direction of inclination of these rows ofbonds is reversed at regular intervals, each bond being arranged near the ends of the laterally adjacent slits I 'except along the center lines of the slitted sections where the lines of bonds change direction. The slitted stock is preferably fed downward on an incline through the slitting rolls to transverse corrugating disks o-r rolls which engage edges of the sheet` and interior longitudinal portions of the sheet along the lines of the edges of the slitted sections. The centers of the slitted sections are guided in their original inclined plane along the line of engagement of the inclined rows of bonds. The corrugating disks serve to bend the marginal strips of each slitted section and apply a stretching force along thein- I clined lines of the bonds so as to bend all of the strands connected to that particular line .of bonds and thus open the mesh. This produces an expanded mesh work product zig-zag or corrugated in cross section which may be subsequently spread o-r brought into a common plane. It will also be' apparent that marginal and interior strips of the *uniform thickness, made according tothe method herein set forth.

j Fig. Qis an end view of the fabrlc, more or less diagrammatic and l`als@ showing form- Fig. 3 shows the arrangement of slitting at one edge of a sheet and indicating the zigzag arrangement of bonds.

Fig. 4, is a vertical section and fragmentary elevation of the mechanism for opening the meshwork and showing the product in that stage of the process.

Fig. 5, is a diagrammatic side view and longitudinal section illustrating the mechanism for carrying out the process and suggesting the product at its various stages.

Fig. 6, is a similar plan view.

Fig. 7, is an enlarged detail view showing in side elevation the mechanism for opening the slitted stock.

Fig. 8, is a detail perspective view of a deep ribbed type of product made according to this process.

Fig. 9, is a similar view of a ribbed type of product with closed ribs. Y

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic side View illustrating supplemental corrugation of some of the longitudinal strips.

Fig. 11,is a detail perspective view of a deep ribbed product with a plurality of relatively small transverse corrugations in the deep ribs and one rib having a reverse flange,

Fig. 12, is a detail sectional view showing the doubling of the strips.

Figs. 13 and 14 are detail views of a form of abutment with stepped edges.

The broad idea vof the method will perhaps be more readily understood by first considering one form of product, for instance, the lath of substantially uniform thickness shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This'has a, plurality of strands such as 10, 11 and 12 connected together at intervals by bonds such as 13 and 14. The marginal strip 15 is pref,n erably wider than the strands which form the main part of the fabric. `The marginal strip 15 is connected with the adjacent strand lOby bonds such as 16, which are preferably somewhat longer than the bonds 13-14, etc. The strip 17 is connected with the adjacent strand 18 by bonds such yas 19. All of the strips and strands at the left of Fig. l, it will be seen, are inclined ledgewise downward ind toward the left, whereas the strand and strips at the right are in clined downward and toward the right. The strip 20 is connected to the adjacent strand 21 by a plurality of bonds similarto 19. andthe strips .17 and 20 are connected together along the center of the section by bonds such as 22,\ which are preferably longer than the 'bonds l19 or 13. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the bonds at the left are arranged along diagonal lines such as 23 extending upward and to the left, whereas the bonds at the right are arranged along diagonal lines such as 24 extending upward to the right. This arrangement of |bonds and strands affords 'more stiffness than where the bonds are ar- Fig. 3).

. meshes of the finished product.

ranged longitudinally or transversely of the fabric.

Fig. 3 illustrates the arrangement of slitting to produce the strands and strips just mentioned. It will be noted here that the slits or cuts. 26 and 27 are so arranged that each bond such as 13 comes opposite a pointnear the end of one adjacent slit 26 and near the opposite end of the -other adjacent slit 27. It will be seen that the slitting is such that the bonds in the left hand part of the left hand section are arranged along diagonallines such as 23 inclined upward and to the left at acute angles to the length of the sheet, and that the slits in the right hand part of the left section are arranged -so that the bonds are inclined diagonally 29 indicates the strand at the right of the slitted section just described. These slitted sections are repeated across the sheet and l have illustrated by dotted lines 30, 31, 32 and 33 the direction of the rows of bonds in suclcessive sections. In the form shown in Fig. 3, a row of slits 'such as 34 extends between the left hand slitted section and the next adjacent section. In Fig. 5, 35 and 36 are the rolls or .cutters for slitting the stock as above described. 37 vindicates an introductory feed table. 38, 39 and 40 indicate pairs of feed rolls. 41, 42 and 43 indi-cate guides for directing the stock through the feed rolls and the slitting rolls. These are lpreferably arranged on an incline so that the nished stock may come out 'on a horizontal plane. v v

The rolls 40 may be so adjusted as to smooth out they slitted stock if desired, and for serving to feed it tothe opening mechanism through the guides 44 and 45. Across the machine are arranged a series of abutl' pond with the angle of convergence of the rows of bonds of the slitted stock represented by the dotted lines 23 and 24 (see At the side of each abutment is arranged an expanding disk 47 having teeth 48 meshing with the teeth on the smaller disk 49 above'.V The teeth 48 are shaped so as to engage and bend the longitudinal strips such as 15 and 29 of the slitted stock as the slitted stock passes downward beneath the abutments 46. These strips are bent upward as they moveA forward as shown iiof inFig. 7, the teeth cor-responding to the The disks4 47- are mounted on the shaft 50 and the disks 49 on shaft 51,. y The lower shaft is` meshwork.

VThe abutments46 may all be'carried by a stationary cross bar 54 being secured thereto by means of screws 55 passing through elongated slots 5,6 soas to permit the abutments to be adjusted. 0nan incline corresponding to the angle of inclina-tion of -the slitted stock. This adjustment will vary the degree and character of expansion to some extent. A s et screw 57 may be pro# -vided for forcing each individual abutment down the incline. Eachabutment is preferably provided with a tail-.piece 58 which extends up between the upper expanding disks 49. Each abutmen-t also preferably has a shoulder 59 at each side which serves to prevent the marginal strands of each slitted section from drawing in toward each other or out of the grip 'of the expanding disk. The'toe 53 may be adjusted up and down the incline or vertically independent of the body of the abutment..

After the slitted stock hasbeen opened into oppositely inclined meshworkas indicated in Fig. 4, it may be laterally spread into a common plane by suitable means for instance, rolls and guides such asillustrated in my Patent #1,146,552, or #1,146,553 or Vin my Patent #1,224,877. Rolls -for spread.

ing the meshwork are indicated diagrammatically in Figs. 5 and '6 'by the reference numerals 60, 61 and 62.

v VThe bending of the bonds 22 into Vllshape So as to permit the strands'to lie naturally on each side thereof may be facilitated by suitable dies such as 63 and 64 indicated in Fig. -2.v Preferably thisaction is affected or at least partially affected before the fabrie is iattened out and'preferably early in the spreading action.`

Some of the longitudinal strips may be vmade very much broader than the strands as indicated in Fig. 8 so as to form very substantial ribs 65 projecting from the` plane of the expanded meshwork.

In case the longitudinal strips are not slitted down the centers, the metal may be drawn over so as to permit of foldinginto In some cases lfor instance when the central strips of each slitted section are much broader or stiffer than the strands it may be desirable to apply force by means of' suitable dies to corrugate them at the lower ends of the inclined abutments for instance,

ment. Such supplemental mechanism would assist in the opening action. The broad marginal and interior strips may be subsequently modified after the meshwork is formed as for instance by additional transverse corrugations 67 and 68 asshown in Fig. 10, thus substituting a plurality of shallow transverse corrugations for the single `corrugation or loop of each meshwork.

Such transversely corrugated strips may subsequently be more Yeasily folded in to deep ribs if desired-as shown at 69 in Fig. 11. In a fabric having areverse lay of strands it is desirablev in some cases to have alternate ribs provided with reverse flanges so that the strands Vmay take a natural bend as ally rigid as they are in places three/times `as thick as the rest ofthe sheet. This-v also provides roughened surfaces which tend to increase the bonding effect in the concrete. The edges'of the abutments 46`may be provided with steps 46 'of the width of the strands so that eachstrand may be drawn over a' corner.`

In making the product the material of the strands may' be somewhat elongated or stretched and in fact the material may -be' made having the general appearance of that shown in Figs. l and 2 in which the material of the strands is very substantially elongated. The strands may even be elongated sufiiciently to permit the use of straight ribs in place of the transversely corrugated ribs.

To make such a product the stock .would be -entire width, Imeans for transversely cor-.

rugating the edges and intermediate slitted strips of the slitted stock and means for en- CIK f away at an angle to the unopened slitted z5,

gaging the slitted stock midway between the corrugating means and in advance thereof to'open the slitted stock into oppositely inclined meshworlr sections. l

2. 1n an expanded metal machine, means for slitting a sheet longitudinally across its entire width, means for transversely corrugating the edges and intermediate slitted `strips of the slitted stock, means for engaging the slitted stock midway between the corrugating means and in advance thereof toopen the slitted stock into oppositely inclined meshworlr sections and means for 4spreading said sections into a common plane.

3. 1n an expanded metal machine, a series of transversely toothed corrugating rolls on a common axis, a series of materially larger toothed rolls coacting therewith, means for directing slitted stock at one angle to said rolls and guiding the stock midway between laterally adjacent rolls to points beyond the coacting faces'thereof to open the slitted stock and means for guiding the meshwork stock.

4. In an expanded metal machine, a series of transversely toothed corrugating rolls on a common axis, a series of toothed rolls coacting therewith, means for directing slitted stock atone angle to said rolls and guiding Vstock midway between laterally adjacent rolls to points beyond the coacting faces thereof to open the slitted stock, means for guiding the meshwork away at an angle to the unopened slitted stock and spreading the meshwork into a common plane.

5. 1n an expanded metal machine, means) for slitting the entire width of a sheet longitudinally, a series of transverselytoothed corrugating rolls on a common axis, a series of toothed rolls coacting therewith, means for directing slitted stock at one angle to said rolls and guiding the stock midway be'- tWeen laterally adjacent rolls topoints beyond the coacting faces thereof to open thel slitted .stock and means for guiding the meshwork away at an angle to the unopened slitted stock. l

6. In an expanded metal machine spaced pairs of transversev corrugating rolls, means for directing slitted stock at an angle to said rolls' between and beyond the same-to open thelineshwork, and means. for guiding the open meshwork away from said rolls at an angle to said directing'means. y

7. In an expanded metal machine, means for slitting the margins .and intermediate I' strips of a sheet to form strands connected -I in staggered arrangement, means for slitting the intervening portions of the sheet to form narrower strands connected in staggered arrangement and means for ltransversely corrugating the broader marginal and intermediate strands and opening4 the slitted stock into oppositely inclined sections.

8. 1n an expanded metal machine, a series of pairs of feeding rolls arranged on parallel axes, the rolls. of each pair being spaced apart from the rolls of each vadjacent pair, a guide between each of the adjacent pairs of rolls, said guides being widest at the incoming end and tapering forwardly toward the center and inclined at a sharp angle to the plane containing the axes of said rolls and means for guiding the trough-shaped meshwork away from said rolls and guides in-a direction the general plane of which is inclined at a sharp angle relative to the surface of the guides between said rolls.

9. The method of forming expanded metal which comprises, slitting the stock longitudinally in sections, transversely corrugating spaced longitudinal strips at the edges of the sections and directing and supporting the intermediate portion of the slitted stock along lines inclined forwardly from the points of corrugation toward the centers of the sections and opening the mesh.

10. The method of makingL expanded metal consisting in first slitting the sheet` with relatively short longitudinal cuts, the location of bonds between cuts of longitudinal series being off-set from the centers of the adjacent cuts and lines of bonds being in zig-zag arrangement transversely of the sheet, then opening the mesh by forming as many longitudinal corrugations as there are zig-zags of bonds and then flattening out the corrugations without closing the mesh.` A

141. The method of inaking expanded metal consisting in first slitting the sheet into sections ofr longitudinal strands of uniform width and connecting bonds, sections being connected with each other by bonds and pairs of wider strands, then longitudis nally -corrugating the sheet at alternate series of pairs of wider strands to form meshwork and foreshortening the sheet, and lthen flattening the corrugated sheet.

12. A machine for forming metal la`th comprising, a horizontal table, rolls for feeding the stock, downwardly inclined guides, rotary cutters for slitting the stock parallel to the edges of the stock as it passes down said guides, a series of pairs of spaced toothed corrugating rolls, parts of said inclined guides being tapered and extending beyond the line along whichvsaid corrugating rolls engage the stock, and means for feeding away the meshwork. l 13. In an expanded metal machine, a plurality of tapered guides, side by side in one plane, /each guide being widest at the env inclined to the plane of the tapered guides.

14. In an expanding machine, guides for the slitted stock terminating in portions which taper forwardly, toothed corrugating rolls arranged to carry certain strands-0f the slitted stock out of the plane of the guides and other toothed 'corrugating rolls coperating with the first mentioned corrugating rolls but materially smaller in diameter to permit certain of the strands to be bent substantially as set forth.

15. In an expanding machine, guides for the slitted stock, the forward ends of said guides being tapered, means-f0r adjusting the tapered ends, a series of large toothed corrugating rolls for bending certain of the strands out of the plane of said guides and other smaller toothed corrugating rolls coacting therewith for the purpose specified.

16. The method of forming an expanded metal fabric which comprises slitting` secf a series of largetions of a. sheet parallel to the edges and in staggered arrangement, the bonds between the slits in each longitudinal line of slits being located adjacent the ends of the slits in the adjacent line of slits and the lines of bonds extending in zig-zag arrangement transversely of the. sheet and bending the strands to form oppositely inclined 'mesh- Work sections having rows of bonds and strands extending diagonally of the sections.

17. An expanded metal blank comprising av plurality of groups of strands each consisting of'parallel longitudinal strands, adjacent strands being connected together by bonds located near the ends of the adjacent slits, the slits and bonds being s0 arranged that there are rows of bonds connected by parts of Strands extending diagonally in opposite directions in adjacent groups.

" NORRIS ELMORE CLARK. 

